As we come to the end of Term One, the Sabbatical Officer team is sharing their highlights from the academic year so far. Sharanya Sivarajah, VP Education is here with an update!
As we come to the end of Term One, the Sabbatical Officer team shares their highlights from the academic year so far. From lobbying the University to collaborating with the Careers Service, Active Lifestyle and Sport and Hall Life to heading up liberation campaign months – it’s been a busy one!
Sharanya Sivarajah
VP Education
LGBT+ History Month
I’m currently in the early stages of planning LGBT+ History Month which is in February. This is in partnership with our LGBT+ Society and the LGBT+ Community Officer, Sam. We have a range of different events planned so keep an eye out for the announcement! There's a fun collab with @ImJustRHUL, watch this space!
Access and Participation Plan
As part of my manifesto aim to improve accessibility in higher education for underrepresented groups, I have joined the University’s Access and Participation working group. Royal Holloway is in the process of writing our new Access and Participation Plan (APP), which will run from 2025-2028. Our APP will set out how the University plans to improve equality of opportunity for all student groups, particularly those that are currently underrepresented in higher education. This is submitted to OfS (Office for Students). I am participating in this working group to ensure that student voice is at the heart of it. Laura Black (Student Voice Manager) and I have been coordinating with Gill Knight (Director of Education) to form some focus groups to consult with students on the new APP to ensure we have identified the correct risks and are mitigating them effectively.
College Council
Hannah and I attended the University’s Strategy Day and Council. We had important conversations about the future of Royal Holloway and how we improve students’ experiences going forward. These past few months have helped me understand higher education governance, reinforcing my desire to pursue this pathway.
Merry Christmas from the Sabbs!
As we reach the end of this term, we want to take a moment to reflect on a jam-packed and exciting term. It’s time for a well-deserved winter break! Whether you’re planning to relax and recharge, spend quality time with loved ones, or revise, make the most of this time for self-care.
For those with assessments in the Spring Term, best of luck and check out Sharanya’s (VP Education) blog on the assessment period! You've got this, and your efforts will pay off.
Wishing you all the best winter break!
Stand up for students
Do you want to play a lead role within the Students’ Union and help improve life on campus for students? Are you passionate about creating the most welcoming and inclusive environment to nurture student life and lead campaigns that create long-lasting change? If so, we think you would be the perfect candidate to run for a Sabbatical Officer position in the Leadership Elections 2024! Keep an eye out for more information coming soon!
If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at voice@su.rhul.ac.uk.